The European Parliament has adopted the European Union’s 2026 budget, approving a package worth €192.8 billion in commitments and €190.1 billion in payments.
Lawmakers placed particular emphasis on strengthening competitiveness, funding research, and improving the bloc’s security readiness.
The agreement, reached after negotiations between Parliament and the Council, includes a series of increases to priority programmes, reflecting what officials described as the need for the EU to respond to a more volatile geopolitical and economic landscape.
Boost for Research, Infrastructure and Security
One of the most notable allocations is an extra €20 million for the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe. Members of Parliament argued that maintaining Europe’s technological advantage requires sustained investment at a time of intensified global competition.
Cross-border transport and energy networks will also receive additional funds, with the Connecting Europe Facility boosted by €23.5 million. EU officials said the upgrades are designed to ease bottlenecks, reinforce supply-chain resilience and improve strategic mobility across the continent.
MEPs also secured further resources for border management, humanitarian assistance and civil protection. Funding for military mobility—the initiative aimed at accelerating troop and equipment movement across European territory—was increased as part of the broader security package. Parliamentary negotiators said these measures were necessary to strengthen Europe’s preparedness in the face of potential external threats and growing instability in neighbouring regions.
Other programmes received targeted increases, including Erasmus+ for education and training, the EU’s health programme, and certain agricultural support schemes intended to stabilise markets affected by climate shocks and global price pressures.
In total, Parliament succeeded in adding €372.7 million to the Commission’s original proposal.
Negotiators Highlight Strategic Priorities
Parliament’s lead negotiators said the revised budget better reflects Europe’s strategic needs.
They described the final package as balanced, combining investment in long-term competitiveness with immediate support for sectors affected by inflation, conflict and supply-chain disruptions. They also underlined the importance of ensuring that the EU can act quickly in areas such as civil protection, border security and humanitarian response.
A limited “margin for unforeseen events”—around €715.7 million—was preserved to allow the EU to react to sudden crises. Although small relative to the overall budget, officials argued that the reserve remains necessary given the unpredictability of security and climate-related emergencies.
Focus on Resilience Amid Rising Global Tensions
The 2026 budget comes at a time of intensified pressure on European governments to strengthen domestic defence industries, accelerate infrastructure upgrading and deepen cooperation on security matters. Several EU committees have warned that the bloc’s defence supply chains and mobility networks remain fragmented and under-resourced.
Parliament’s negotiators said the additional resources for infrastructure and security projects were designed to support these wider efforts and align the EU budget with ongoing initiatives in defence cooperation, civil-military readiness and crisis response.
With parliamentary approval now secured, the budget will be formally adopted by the Council in the coming weeks. The first allocations are expected to be disbursed at the start of the financial year.
EU officials described the agreement as a step towards improving Europe’s resilience in an era marked by geopolitical rivalry, technological competition and accelerating climate pressures. However, they acknowledged that the effectiveness of the budget will depend on swift implementation and close cooperation between member states and EU institutions.
Main Image: Philippe BUISSIN © European Union 2025 – Source : EP Usage terms: Identification of origin mandatory
EU adopts 2026 budget as Strasbourg plenary turns to rule of law and human rights
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